The 2021–22 Women's EHF Champions League was the 29th edition of Europe's premier club handball tournament, running from 11 September 2021 to 5 June 2022.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, each local health department allowed a different number of spectators.
Vipers Kristiansand defended their title after a finals win over Győri Audi ETO KC.
Format The competition began with a group stage featuring 16 teams divided in two groups. Matches were played in a double round-robin system with home-and-away fixtures. In Groups A and B, the top two teams qualified for the quarterfinals, with teams ranked third to sixth entering the playoffs.
The knockout stage included four rounds: the round of 16, quarterfinals, and a final-four tournament comprising two semifinals and the final. The teams were paired against each other in two-legged home-and-away matches, with the aggregate winners qualifying to the next round.
In the final four tournament, the semifinals and the final were played as single matches at a pre-selected host venue.
Team allocation
A total of 21 teams from 15 countries submitted their application for a place in the competition's group stage before the deadline of 21 June 2021. The final list of 16 participants was revealed by the EHF Executive Committee on 29 June 2021.
HC Podravka Vegeta Odense Håndbold Team Esbjerg Brest Bretagne Handball Metz Handball BV Borussia 09 Dortmund1 FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria Győri Audi ETO KC Budućnost BEMAX Vipers Kristiansand CSM București CSKA Moscow Rostov-Don RK Krim Mercator IK Sävehof Kastamonu Bld. GSK
+Wildcard rejection DHK Baník Most SG BBM Bietigheim Storhamar Håndball Elite CS Minaur Baia Mare
1: As the German club did not play the play-off matches vs Metz in the previous season, a deposit of an amount of €140,000 in two instalments was requested from Dortmund to cover any financial damages or requests for refunds in case the club would not play certain matches or drop out of the competition again. In case no payments were requested neither from the club nor from the EHF in this relation the deposit was transferred back to the club. The receipt of the two instalments (the first by 13 and the second by 27 July) was a precondition to uphold the participation of the club in the DELO EHF Champions League 2021/22, otherwise, the substitute club (DHK Banik Most) would have replaced Borussia Dortmund.
Group stage
The draw took place on 2 July 2021.
Group A
Group B
Knockout stage
Playoffs
Quarterfinals
Final four The final four will held at the MVM Dome in Budapest, Hungary on 4 and 5 June 2022.
Bracket
Final
Top goalscorers Rank Player Club GoalsGoalscorers1 Cristina Neagu CSM București1102 Nora Mørk Vipers Kristiansand1073 Ana Gros71 goals for CSKA Moscow and 33 goals for RK Krim Mercator. CSKA Moscow/ RK Krim Mercator104 Henny Reistad Team Esbjerg5 Grâce Zaadi76 goals for Rostov-Don and 15 goals for Metz Handball. Rostov-Don/ Metz Handball916 Helene Gigstad Fauske Brest Bretagne Handball87 Jamina Roberts IK Sävehof8 Jovanka Radičević Kastamonu Bld. GSK869 Alina Grijseels BV Borussia 09 Dortmund8410 Kristine Breistøl Team Esbjerg83
Awards The all-star team was announced on 3 June 2022.
Position Player Goalkeeper Laura Glauser (Győri Audi ETO KC) Right wing Angela Malestein (FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria) Right back Nora Mørk (Vipers Kristiansand) Centre back Stine Bredal Oftedal (Győri Audi ETO KC) Left back Cristina Neagu (CSM Bucureşti) Left wing Sanna Solberg-Isaksen (Team Esbjerg) Pivot Linn Blohm (Győri Audi ETO KC) Final four MVP Markéta Jeřábková (Vipers Kristiansand) Best defender Kari Brattset Dale (Győri Audi ETO KC) Best young player Pauletta Foppa (Brest Bretagne Handball) Best coach Ambros Martín (Győri Audi ETO KC)
References
External links Official website